colour US, color [ˈkʌlə]n1. (Physics / General Physics)a. an attribute of things that results from the light they reflect, transmit, or emit in so far as this light causes a visual sensation that depends on its wavelengthsb. the aspect of visual perception by which an observer recognizes this attributec. the quality of the light producing this aspect of visual perceptiond. (as modifier) colour vision2. (Physics / General Physics) Also called chromatic coloura. a colour, such as red or green, that possesses hue, as opposed to achromatic colours such as white or blackb. (as modifier) a colour television a colour film Compare black-and-white [2]3. (Clothing, Personal Arts & Crafts / Dyeing) a substance, such as a dye, pigment, or paint, that imparts colour to something4. (Social Science / Anthropology & Ethnology)a. the skin complexion of a person, esp as determined by his raceb. (as modifier) colour prejudice colour problem5. (Fine Arts & Visual Arts / Art Terms) the use of all the hues in painting as distinct from composition, form, and light and shade6. (Communication Arts / Printing, Lithography & Bookbinding) the quantity and quality of ink used in a printing process7. (Music, other) the distinctive tone of a musical sound; timbre8. vividness, authenticity, or individuality period colour9. semblance or pretext (esp in the phrases take on a different colour, under colour of)10. (Mining & Quarrying) US a precious mineral particle, esp gold, found in auriferous gravel11. (Physics / General Physics) Physics one of three characteristics of quarks, designated red, blue, or green, but having no relationship with the physical sensationvb1. to give or apply colour to (something)2.(tr) to give a convincing or plausible appearance to (something, esp to that which is spoken or recounted) to colour an alibi3.(tr) to influence or distort (something, esp a report or opinion) anger coloured her judgment4.(intr; often foll by up) to become red in the face, esp when embarrassed or annoyed5. (Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Agriculture) (intr) (esp of ripening fruit) to change hue See also colours[from Old French colour from Latin color tint, hue]

Dust:Um, they're 11. Shouldn't they have concepts like that sort of locked down by then?

At 11, you can recognize and decipher color (provided you don't have a genetic defect), but you don't know what color is. You don't know why color matters, what causes its variation, or why you can see it.

Basically, you have the basic biology to recognize color because it's helpful to survival, but you don't understand it at all. And if the goal is to encourage more kids to pursue science and technology as they grow up, you have to be able to answer questions like "what is color" to an 11 year old in a way they can understand and pursue in study.

Step 1: Get high.Step 2: Think about how the colours I see might be different than the colours you see, and there's no way of knowing. For example, we both know what the colour red looks like to ourselves, but if I looked through your eyes, I'd call that colour blue. You've just known it to be red forever.Step 3: Eat doritos

homarjr:Step 1: Get high.Step 2: Think about how the colours I see might be different than the colours you see, and there's no way of knowing. For example, we both know what the colour red looks like to ourselves, but if I looked through your eyes, I'd call that colour blue. You've just known it to be red forever.Step 3: Eat doritos

My corollary to this theory is that everyone's "favorite color" is actually blue.

Khellendros:At 11, you can recognize and decipher color (provided you don't have a genetic defect), but you don't know what color is. You don't know why color matters, what causes its variation, or why you can see it.

When I was 11 I understood that color was caused by variations in wavelength in visible light, and I understood that the cones in our eyes let us see and distinguish color. I understood that visible light contained all of the possible colors, and that you can prove this with a prism.

Granted, I watched a lot of Bill Nye when I was a kid, which is pretty much where I learned all of that stuff.

HMS_Blinkin:Khellendros: At 11, you can recognize and decipher color (provided you don't have a genetic defect), but you don't know what color is. You don't know why color matters, what causes its variation, or why you can see it.

When I was 11 I understood that color was caused by variations in wavelength in visible light, and I understood that the cones in our eyes let us see and distinguish color. I understood that visible light contained all of the possible colors, and that you can prove this with a prism.

Granted, I watched a lot of Bill Nye when I was a kid, which is pretty much where I learned all of that stuff.

Both color and pitch are properties resulting from the frequency and wavelength of waves (light and sound, respectively) that are then interpreted by our senses as falling along a spectrum.

Enter the contest. Use that explanation. Do it.Every scientist Farker should take a stab at it. There's a written category and a video category.

Some of you know that I won the video category last year (well, this summer). It's a great experience, and the winners get to go to New York and meet Alan Freaking Alda (bonus: if you meet him again later, he remembers you, and then tells a roomful of your colleagues how great you are).

Fark needs to keep its streak going. Enter. You have until, like, March or something.

BafflerMeal:HMS_Blinkin: Khellendros: At 11, you can recognize and decipher color (provided you don't have a genetic defect), but you don't know what color is. You don't know why color matters, what causes its variation, or why you can see it.

When I was 11 I understood that color was caused by variations in wavelength in visible light, and I understood that the cones in our eyes let us see and distinguish color. I understood that visible light contained all of the possible colors, and that you can prove this with a prism.

Granted, I watched a lot of Bill Nye when I was a kid, which is pretty much where I learned all of that stuff.

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I found Bill Nye was in the 1990s was only maybe half as good at actually explaining things than the shows that TV Ontario ran in the 1980s. Nye described things, but The Edison Twins, Eureka, OWL TV (especially) and others actually talked about the experiments and the math behind them in ways that, yes, even grade 1s could visualize and understand. As a teenager I kept thinking, "Okay, this is fun, but I don't see much science. When is he going to get to the science?" Eureka was so much simpler in presentation and yet somehow taught science more effectively. Of course, Eureka and OWL TV might have been aimed at a younger audience who appreciated some quiet leveled voices rather than loud screaming and colours.

Peki:Really? I think fourth grade was when I learned about light waves and how color is just what bounces.

I love how people think kids are stupid because they are young. . .

This. The average 11-year-old is smarter than the average adult. When they were reviewing the finalists, some kids said they wanted to know about spacetime.

It annoys me when people talk down to kids, especially with that condescending fake-excited tone. Kids can tell when they're being patronised. I treat them like inconveniently small adults, and they seem to respond to that. With teenagers, I just speak their native language: sarcasm.

Why the heck do people spend so much time worrying about how to explain something to kids. Just explain it. Like you would to an adult.

How would you explain color to an adult? That's a better question. Better still is, 'How would you explain color?' That sums it up. Talking to adult doesn't meant they understand color and talking to a child doesn't mean they don't.

Fark_Guy_Rob:Why the heck do people spend so much time worrying about how to explain something to kids. Just explain it. Like you would to an adult.

How would you explain color to an adult? That's a better question. Better still is, 'How would you explain color?' That sums it up. Talking to adult doesn't meant they understand color and talking to a child doesn't mean they don't.

I agree with you, but what do we know?

"If you can't explain it to a six-year-old, you don't understand it yourself."-Albert Einstein

The sky is actually violet; that is, the light that hits your eyes when you look at the sky is actually about 60% violet wavelengths and 40% blue wavelengths. However, your eyes are much more sensitive to blue than they are to violet, so the blue drowns the violet out and the sky appears to be blue.